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(2) Tire the weakest of the 22. Do not care so flock.

, 16. Never pass over one point while you have any thing material to say of it, provided it be on a spiritual point.

17. Let your doctrine, and the constant stream of your preach ing, be about the chiefest spirit ual things, and let small controversies and external duties come in by the bye.

18. Beware of forms; neither be tied to any one method.

19. Be always on that subject, which is next your heart; and be not too thrifty and careful what to say next, for God will provide; it will be offensive like kept manna, if reserved through distrust till the next day.

20. Be sure to extricate carefully, any godly point you speak of, out of the notions and terms of divinity; else it will freeze inevitably in your mouth and their ears.

21. Let there not be disfigur ing of faces, nor snuffing in the nose, nor hemming in the throat, nor any antic gesture, pretending devotion, made gravity; which will make you seem a loathsome Pharisee, or a distracted man broke loose out of Bedlam.

much

whether the people receive your doctrine, as whether you and it are acceptable to the Lord.

23. Do not conceive that your zeal or earnestness can prevail with the people; but the force of spiritual reason, the evidence of Scripture, and the power of the Holy Ghost.

24. Do not think the hearers can receive as you conceive, and so make your own conception the rule of dealing the bread of life; so shall yoù only please yourself, and be admired but not understood by others.

25. Let there be something in every sermon to draw poor sin ners to Jesus Christ.

26. Take heed that your comparisons be not ridiculous, and yet be not shy of homely

ones.

27. Study every Scripture you are to speak of beforehand, lest you overburden invention, or presume too much upon your own parts.

28. Take care to free truth of extravagancies, of needless digressions, needless heads and enumerations.

29. Shun apologies, for they are always offensive.

Review of New Publications.

An Historical View of Heresies,
and Vindication of the Primi
tive Faith. By ASA MFAR-
LAND, A. M. minister of the
gospel in Concord, New Hamp-
shire. George Hough, Con
cord. 1806. pp. 274 12mo.
A LEADING object of this trea-
tise is to state the general charac-

ter, and to exhibit a concise view,
of the origin, spirit, and moral
tendency of Heresy; and clearly
to mark the point of difference
between that scheme of doctrine,
and those
called orthodox,
schemes, which under various
names, differ essentially from
it.

The work is divided into ten chapters. In the first is stated "general principles by which heresy may be known." Under this head, the author justly remarks that every system of religion, which has appeared in the world, has had some distinguishing characteristic, and rests on its own peculiar and distinct foundation; and that “Christianity rests on this truth, that GOD has manifested himself to the world by Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son." p. 9.

In this scheme Christ appears in the character of a Mediator and Saviour, which implies, that he has opened a consistent way for divine, gracious communications to sinners. From "the nature of this mediatorial work of Jesus Christ, it is necessary that we receive and treat him as God over all-as no created being can perform more than the duty which he personally owes to God. A proper atonement for sin rests on the supreme Deity of the Saviour." p. 10. - The gospel is stated to be a manifestation of the divine purpose to save sinners through faith in Christ. As this faith is the gift of God, and the immediate effect of his operation, it is with the greatest propriety called a dispensation of grace. "If this be the spirit of the Christian dispensation, it is manifest, that whatever takes away that from the gospel, which is peculiar to it, or which makes it any other than a dispensation of grace, is Heresy. He is an heretic, in the Scripture sense of the word, who adheres to those opinions, which encourage him to hope for salvation in any other way, than through the merit of a perfect

atonement, and by a vital union with Christ." p. 11.

Our author makes a distinc tion between error in judgment and heresy. p. 11. A man whose heart may not be opposed to the spirit of the gospel, may yet, through wrong instruction, embrace essential error, Such a person he does not consider as an heretic.

The object of the second chap ter is to shew that "all Heresies are known by the same general character, though they have ap peared under different names." The one source of all heresy or dangerous error, our author con ceives, "is a heart which is not reconciled to the gospel terms of salvation:" [p. 14, 15.] Hence a disposition to reject, or to evade the force of the essential & pecu liar doctrines of the gospel, com monly called the orthodox faith, forms a common and distinguishing feature in the character of all heretics.

- The orthodox faith, and the doctrines of grace, our author considers as of synonymous im port. "These doctrines are ex, hibited, in order, in the thirty, nine articles of the Church of England, and in the Westmin ster Confession of Faith. These were the Doctrines of the Reformation." p. 15. "That mankind have destroyed themselves, and that their salvation is wholly of GoD," is considered by our author as constituting the sum of the orthodox scheme. p. 16They, therefore, who embrace and propagate opinions, which counteract the spirit and tendency of this truth, are considerey. as justly chargeable with heresd, The point where heretics take their departure from the ortho

dox plan, he considers to be the denial that "salvation is wholly of God."

Our author, under this head, undertakes to shew, that the doctrines of grace all stand necessarily connected with "the divinity and perfect atonement of Jesus Christ." p. 22. His proofs of this connexion are ingenious, and we think scriptural and conclusive.

influence to renew holiness in men.;" and that, they "were alarmed at the appearance of the Unitarian doctrine, and took decisive measures to arrest its progress, as an evil of most pernicious tendency." p. 78.91.

In the sixth and seventh chapters are brought into view, the Arian and Pelagian doctrines, which are shewn to be a depar ture from the faith of the primitive Christians.

The eighth chapter exhibits a plain summary of the “doctrines of the reformation:" the ninth, an interesting account of the "revival of the ancient heresies after the reformation," by the modern Socinians, Arminians, Methodists, and Free-will Baptists, whose opinions are shewn to be subversive of that scheme of religion which rests on this truth, "that salvation, is wholly of God."

The third chapter is divided into two sections. The first. gives" "the scripture character of Christ." The second shews that "the design of the gospel and epistles of St. John probably was to confute the error of those, who denied the divinity and atonement of Christ." The scripture proofs of the supreme Deity of Jesus Christ, in this chapter, are exhibited in a clear and convincing light; and that the passages adduced for this purpose are not misapplied, is shewn from the nature of the gospel, and the design of St. John's epistles to confute those who denied this doctrine..

The fourth and fifth chapters exhibit the faith of the primitive Christians, and their conduct toward those who denied the divinity and atonement of Christ. From copious extracts, both from Christian and heathen writers, in the first ages of Christianity, our author satisfactorily proves that the primitive Christians believed what are denominated the doctrines of grace—that they were “Trinitarians," that "they believed in the ruin of mankind by the sin of the first man, and that the Son of God became incarnate, to deliver sinners from the deplorable effects of the fall;" also "in the necessity of divine

The last chapter is designed to shew "in what respect, and how far those systems of doctrine, which have been exhibited, come within the general description of heresy." This is an interesting chapter, and deserves the serious attention of the reader.

The author subjoins some judicious and seasonable reflec tions and remarks, resulting from the view of religious opin, ions, given in the preceding work-and then closes with an "Address," 1st. "To those who adopt the Unitarian system." 2d. "To those who have trust, ed in Christ as a divine Saviour, and are established in the doc. trines of grace.",

The subject of this work is manifestly of great importance. There is certainly an essential

difference between that system, which is founded on the principle, that Christ is a divine person, and salvation wholly of GoD; and that which considers him as a mere creature, though ever so exalted, and salvation, either in whole or in part, of the creature. So different are these systems, that if the former be true, the latter, by whatever name it is called, is a practical error, which tends to destroy the soul.

We think the author incorrect in his distinction between an error in judgment and heresy. We believe with him, that heresy has its origin in an "evil heart of unbelief;" but that error in judgment has a different source may be justly questioned. That a person should be destitute of sentiment for want of proper means of information, can easily be conceived; but that any one should embrace error instead of truth, without any kind or degree of evidence, can be accounted for only on the principle of evil propensity.

The style of this work corresponds with the design of the author, which is to enlighten and establish the minds of the honest but unlearned, in the great truths of our religion, and to guard them against the pernicious and prevalent errors of the day. It is plain, familiar, and commonly correct. The plan of the work is judicious, the arrangement of the several parts natural, and the principles advocated, in our opinion, scriptural. The facts stated are supported by proper evidence, and the reason ing grounded on these facts, intelligible, and in general conclusive: The closing addresses are serious, pertinent and useful.

On the whole, we consider this a valuable and very seasona ble performance, and we cordially recommend it to the attention of the public. To expose dangers ous error shows no want of chari ty or candour. In an age of prevailing infidelity, when many openly reject the articles of our most holy faith, it yields high satisfaction to the good man, who "trembles for the ark of his Gop," to see a man of piety, talents and learning employed in vindicating the pure doctrines of Christianity, and displaying them in contrast with those sentiments, which essentially change the Christian scheme, and counteract those salutary effects, which the gospel in its purity is calculated to produce.

The Shade of Plato; or, a defence of religion, morality and govern, ment. A Poem, in four parts. By DAVID HITCHCOCK. TO which is prefixed, a Sketch of the Author's Life. Hudson, Printed at the Balance Press. 1805.

HAVING read the introducto ry sketch of the author, the reader will not expect to find in this poem the choicest beauties of language. The poetry, it must be confessed, is not of the most elevated kind. The figures are not all expressive of refined taste, and the versification is sometimes unharmonious. But though in these respects the Shade of Plato will not rank with the Pleasures of Imagination, the Deserted Village, of the Essay on Man, it is by no means destitute of merit. It has many excellencies, but of a dif ferent kind. The author discovers some knowledge of heathen

mythology, to which he has several allusions, and a good acquaintance with the nature and history of man. But his principal aim is to illustrate the truths, and inculcate the duties of morality and religion. On these subjects his knowledge appears to be extensive, and his sentiments correct. These are the topics, he professes to have been most interested in and devoted to from early life. He developes the origin of several foibles and vices, greatly prevalent in society; describes their ruinous tendency; and points out the means of correcting them. He inculcates contentment, and resignation to Providence, by showing, that the evils, incident to man in this world, are necessary for the trial of his virtue, and, if rightly regarded, will augment rather than diminish the sum of human happiness in the present state.

This poem is presented, as the substance of what passed in a visionary scene of its author with the spectre of a venerable Grecian. We were at first surprised at finding the Christian religion eulogized, illustrated and enforc

ed with so much zeal and emphasis by a heathen philosopher; and were in doubt, whether to attribute it to an oversight in the author, or to an undue use of poetic licence. But, on further reflection, neither of these suppositions appeared necessary. The human mind being supposed capable of endless progression in knowledge and virtue, it requires no stretch of imagination to conceive, nor of credulity to admit, that the venerable shade, sublimated and improved by inter course with immortals for more than two thousand years, must possess other stores of knowledge, than those which it receiv ed from Pythagoras, or commu. nicated to Aristotle, while inhabiting its ancient tenement of clay.

We are glad to see proposals for a second edition of this poem. We think it calculated to do good. Though it may not stand on the shelves of the critic or the virtuoso, it will find its way to a numerous class of readers, among whom it will be neither less useful nor acceptable for the plainness and simplicity of its appearance.

Religious Intelligence.

UNITED STATES. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MID

DLEBURY, VERMONT, July 30, 1806. Dear Sir,

You may have heard of an attention to religion in this, and some of the neighbouring towns. There has been an awakening in Middlebury about a year, and 94 persons have, in consequence, been added to the church. The attention still continues

some parts of the town. There is

also considerable attention in Cornwall, under the preaching of the Rev. Mr. Bushnell. The Lord has done much for us in this part of the country, and to him be the glory. There is more than usual attention to religion at this time, in the towns of New Haven, Weybridge, Salisbury, and Shoreham. The attention has also in

some degree reached the college.

We may hope that God will uphold his cause, notwithstanding the woful apostacy of many. What reason have we to be thankful, that we may trust

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